Kid Approved : London

London was the first stop in our year of travels and because of that it will always hold a special place in our hearts. But an even better reason why we love London? It is also home to our best friends. So when we found cheap flights from Singapore to London, we jumped on the chance to return to this beautiful city, visit with friends, and visit our favorite spots.

Trent (T) is a big fan of London, it’s parks, food, and museums. When I asked him which city he wanted to review next, he couldn’t wait to share all of his favorites from London.

PLAYGROUNDS & PARKS

Highbury Fields Playground (Islington) - “I like that you can climb a lot here. The park was near our friend’s house. It was really big so that you can run around. It also had a humongous slide and a zipline.” We usually stay in Islington and our family has a three-park rotation that we love. This is one of them!

Paradise Park (Islington) - “Another park that I like is Paradise Park because it had a big wheel that you could run around on and it spins. I never saw anything like it before.”

Princess Diana Memorial at Hyde Park - “I remember there was a big circle and it had water running through it. And you can walk in it.” Hyde Park is full of fun, boats to rent, gardens to see. But the kids loved splashing in the water at the Princess Diana Memorial most.

Hampsted Heath - “This park was so busy but pretty fun.” A large, wild space set within the city of London. Spend some time in its 800 acres to enjoy nature and a break from city life. During the summer, you can also swim in the lido.

For next time: Crumbles Castle Adventure Playground - An amazing space filled with places to climb and create set in the ruins of an old castle. So unique and at the top of our park list on our next visit.

PLACES TO SEE

Harry Potter Sights - “I went to the station (St. Pancras) where Harry goes onto the Hogwart’s Express. It was really fun seeing it! And we saw Platform 9 3/4”. Another great Harry Potter sight for older kids who have seen the 6th movie is Millennium Bridge.

Regent’s Canal - “I don’t remember it, but I do remember that it wasn’t much fun.” I could wait to show T the locks and houseboats in the canals, but we didn’t make it far and he was over it. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.

Buckingham Palace - “We went by Buckingham Palace. It was fun because we got to be right in front of the gates.” T’s sister, Liv, loves to talk about the queen of England and this was a real delight for her! Now that they’ve read the BFG they both think it’s pretty cool that they’ve visited this landmark.

Big Ben - “Seeing Big Ben wasn’t as fun because the clock tower was covered up.” Peter Pan flying around Big Ben sure made T and Liv want to see it in person. But this iconic landmark has been under construction for four years. Another great movie landmark to see is St. Paul’s Cathedral from Mary Poppins.

WHERE & WHAT TO EAT

Pubs - “I love to eat Fish & Chips in London.” We love to duck into a pub for some comfort food. Especially on a chilly, rainy day. Pubs seem to become even cozier. We also love that their more casual and big booths give our kids a place to relax.

Coal Drops Yard - We loved visiting this new spot in London during the summer. There are many places to eat, including food stands and small food trucks. They also have a splash pad to play in and during Wimbledon there was a huge screen to watch the matches outdoors. An easy place to find a delicious lunch with the kids.

The Spaniards Inn - I’ve shared my love of this restaurant on the blog before. Most of my favorite places to eat in London are not a place I would bring the kids. Either because they don’t love the food or it’s pricer and I don’t want to spend the money on a meal they won’t enjoy. But the Spaniards in the perfect spot to take them. Especially during the summer, when we can eat outdoors and even order hamburgers straight from the grill.

THINGS TO DO

Double Decker Bus - “The double decker bus was fun because you got to see a lot of things and there was a audio guide.” A great way to see so many landmarks and also to rest your feet. But if you don’t want to fork over about $100 for a family of four to ride the hop-on-hop-off bus, the public bus is a perfect alternative. For about 1/10 of the price, you can still ride a double-decker bus to sightsee. Here a few, great routes to try. Route 24 will take you pass Westminster Cathedral, Downing Street, and Trafalgar Square. Route 11 is great for Westminster Abbey, the House of Parliament, Big Ben, and St. Paul’s Cathedral.

London Eye - “When we were waiting in the long line to go on the London Eye, I was getting really upset. A lady got us out of line and gave us a slushy. She also let us skip the line.” Jet-lag plus hunger made for quite the first outing on our travels. T’s mini-meltdown led to the sweetest ticket attendent treating us like royalty. If we hadn’t promised our kids a trip on the London Eye, we would have skipped it. It really isn’t that impressive for the money. But, a promise is a promise and they did love it.

Next Time: London Zoo in Regent’s Park - Trent and I loved running around Regent’s Park. It’s a great space in its own right. But we also need a trip to the zoo because we need to see the filming location of one of the most iconic Harry Potter scenes: when he talks to the Boa Constrictor!

MUSEUMS

Natural History Museum - “It was so fun to go here a lot and there are so many cool things to see. When you walk in you see a skeleton of a whale. And it looks like a castle and there are so many rooms to explore in. One of my favorite rooms was the jewel room.”

Science Museum - “The science museum was pretty fun because you got to see how a lot of things work. Like a train. But the Natural History Museum is better.” And you know what makes up for an expensive trip on the London Eye? Free museum visits! Many museums are free to visit, although donations are welcome.

Pennies as souvenirs - “Getting pennies is fun. You put them into a machine that you turn. At first it’s easy and then it’s really hard. Then you see it flatten with something on it. I’ve gotten pennies from a lot of different places.”

For our next visit: Tower of London - We didn’t make it to the Tower of London on our last trips, but it is at the top of our sightseeing list for a future visit. A castle, the Crown Jewels, armor and an infamous prison. What more could you ask for?

Another one for our next visit: London Transportation Museum - I have had so many people recommend this to me. And we loved the train museum in Kyoto, so this one is a must for next time.

“My favorite part is that it has fun playgrounds, good food, and usually good weather”. Ditto, T, ditto. Except maybe for the “good weather” part but we love London so much that we don’t mind!

Want to see more of what I love in London after 6 visits there? Read our Destination Guide: London and our posts on our favorite London restaurants.

Have you taken your kids to London? What are your favorites?